Just the facts, please

Just the facts, please

The Straits Times, Asia News Network, Singapore

And here they go again. In Malaysia's Dewan Rakyat, in the
national press and in party channels, Singapore is being flayed
anew for being un-neighborly, un-cooperative, insensitive,
selfish. Land reclamation taking place well inside Singapore
waters, near the Johor side, is the object of their ire this
time. The matter has claimed the attention of Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad, who suggested last week that Malaysia would not
cooperate with Singapore if the Republic did not reciprocate.

Presumably, this included reconsidering the reclamation work.
This came after a visit by Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,
who had explained to his hosts that the work was in Singapore
waters and met the standards of international law.

So far as can be determined from statements and asides
reported, and the Singapore Foreign Ministry's only comment on
the matter to date, the unhappiness being expressed by the
Malaysians seems misplaced. An inference that may be drawn is
that this latest broadside could be a proxy skirmish over the
real issue -- water supply to Singapore. This matter has stalled
over new rates which Malaysia seeks. Remarks attributed to
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar appear to hint at a
linkage between water and the reclamation issue.

A primary one is that the Tekong work would degrade the
shipping lane for traffic to Johor's Pasir Gudang port. Answer:
The lane traverses deeper waters between Tekong and the Singapore
mainland, while the reclamation is being done on the shallower
part around the shores. Speed of currents and silting are
monitored constantly by the Maritime and Port Authority to ensure
the lane is not choked up. As for the work in Tuas, which the
Malaysians worry could affect Tanjung Pelepas port, the fact is
that the reclamation is positioned seven km away from the
shipping route. That is a long way away.

Peripheral complaints concern water quality and how that might
hit fisheries and the ecology of the Johor coastline. To that,
Singapore notes that its Environment Ministry collaborates with
Johor's Environment Department to take bi-monthly samples. This
has been the practice since 1991, and current water quality is
described as "unchanged". As for the boundary between the two
nations "shifting" underwater, the assurance given is that this
is a fixed position determined by co-ordinates, which cannot be
physically changed by any development.

This is Singapore's case. Now, Malaysia should present its
facts. A rush to judgment by either side should be avoided until
Kuala Lumpur has spoken. Meantime, politicians and commentators
would do well to lay off if they have nothing credible to say.
Malaysian media, if they choose, can also remove a sting if they
would report Singapore's responses as they are made. They owe it
to their readers to do so.